Retailers Quick To Buy Into Nn Shopping Center

New stores at Jefferson Commons will continue to open throughout the summer.

The newest large-scale shopping center in Newport News could be fully occupied by the start of winter this year.

Jefferson Commons, which sits across from the Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport on Jefferson Avenue, has seen several of its anchor stores open already and has several under construction.

The shopping center brought the first Kohl's department store to the Peninsula -- it opened earlier this spring -- and a Ross Dress for Less opened earlier this month.

Some of the other stores that will open soon -- such as TJ Maxx, Shoe Carnival and Pier 1 Imports -- already have Peninsula locations, but are making their first foray into the Patrick Henry area and contributing to the boom in new retail development there.

Jefferson Commons will total about 385,000 square feet of retail space, which is less than half the size of Patrick Henry Mall but still will make it the fourth largest retail center in Newport News. The man responsible for leasing the center said 95 percent of the space is leased, and many of the retailers wanted to get into Newport News but didn't have an opportunity before this.

"There were voids in the market of certain retailers, and there wasn't really a site for them to get in," said Bob Saffran, senior vice president of The Goodman Company, which is developing the site. "Now that we've presented them an opportunity, they've come in."

Saffran said more stores will open in the next month and construction is expected to be completed by November. By then, restaurants that front Jefferson Avenue, separate from the center itself, such as Chili's, Panera Bread, Silver Diner and Starbucks all should be open.

Though it was first announced that Sports Authority would be one of the shopping center's anchors, Saffran said the deal with that company did not work out.

Jefferson Commons is part of the retail growth in Newport News that includes the expansion of Patrick Henry Mall and the City Center at Oyster Point, and the development of Port Warwick. Newport News assistant city manager Neil Morgan said the Jefferson Commons site is in a good spot to draw shoppers.

"It's well positioned to capture all of the sprawling suburban development in York County, Gloucester and James City," Morgan said. "Even though it's congested, it's still close to all those areas. You can get there from north, south, east and west." *